


crossing into starlight

by Skathii



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M, alternative universe, and Yuuri is a precious cinnamon roll taking care of his family, even though he wants to be the one skating, oh and Yuuri and Viktor compete as couples skaters, sibling switching antics, where Mari is the skater
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-07 02:29:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8779591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skathii/pseuds/Skathii
Summary: The video quality had been poor, a dark and grainy shadow of a person skating almost perfectly to Viktor Nikiforov's Stay by Me, but it still went viral within a day, boasting millions of views. The only clues to the dancer's identity were the letters on the wall in the background that spelled out “Hasetsu Ice Castle”. It was only a matter of putting two and two together to figure out what famous skater called Hasetsu their home rink. And why wouldn't people assume the skater was the up and coming Katsuki Mari? It only made sense.Except that the skater had been him, Yuuri, not Mari. (An AU in which Mari is the famous skater in the family, but after she becomes injured, Yuuri has to pretend to be her. This AU was literally made so that Yuuri and Viktor would be able to skate as a pair in competition.)





	1. unfurled

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU I thought of mostly because I have a dream of Viktor and Yuuri competing together as a couple. Man did I have to seriously bend the YOI universe, but I promise you I made this dream come true. 
> 
> This chapter got really heavy because the situation I set up to make it possible for Viktor and Yuuri to skate together meant that everyone would be harboring some emotions. The good news is that chapter two heads straight into funny and romantic scenarios (romcom territory??).

Yuuri forced a smile on his face as he served another customer the famous katsudon bowl that their inn was so famous for. As soon as he turned to go back to the kitchen, the smile slid off like oil. Another night here at the inn while his sister got to practice ice skating for hours on end.

 

He should be happy for her, he knew. Mari was Japan's sweetheart, the young skater that thrust Japan back into the skating world with her win last year. She was nothing short of amazing, and Yuri loved her, and yet...

 

Yet he still wished it was him, out there, on that ice.

 

They had taken skating lessons together since they were children, practically lived at Hasetsu Ice Castle all the way up until they were teenagers. As the only son, though, society expected him to grow up and take on responsibility. It didn’t matter that he and Mari were twins. Their parents needed him here at the inn to help run what would surely be passed onto him one day. Mari was free to continue skating, even getting to move to Detroit for a while to train.

 

He didn't mind. He needed to learn how to run the business, needed to grow up. And yet he still found himself rushing to Hasetsu after the inn closed, squeezing in whatever time he could to practice, begging Yu-chan to let him stay just a little longer even after they closed.

 

The wood floors squeaked beneath his feet as Yuri tread back to the kitchen, tray in hand. The inn had been in his family forever, for generations, and now it was the last hot spring inn in the region. It was a lot of pressure. He had to learn how to manage the finances, how to keep the place going, how to balance their traditions with modern sensibilities and tourism.

 

Yuuri had spend many a night crunching the numbers, worrying over how they would stay open another day or week or year. The reality was that they were losing money and that they might close just like every other hot spring in the area. They needed to figure out how to draw people in.

 

Or, at least, they did until that _video_ , the one that went viral only a couple of weeks ago.

 

It felt like a lifetime ago. Now, instead of struggling to make ends meet, the family struggled to serve all the fans hoping for a glimpse of the famous Katsuki Mari and her even more famous skating partner.

 

Yuuri passed under the fabric flaps that separated the kitchen from the rest of the inn, shaking the thoughts from his head.

 

"Hey, Ma, just delivered the food to the girls at table 6." His mother spun around to look at him from across the room, a smile lighting up her whole face. She stood next to the industrial stove top where she cooked up all their most popular dishes. Yuuri crossed the room, stopping a couple yards from her.

 

"My dear boy, thank you for your help. What a fine man you've become." A frown pulled at the edges of Yuuri's mouth as he looked at the slight woman before her. When had she gotten so small? As a kid, he thought his mother was so tall and strong, but now, in this light, she just looked so breakable. Not that he could say anything. He was the tallest boy in his middle school class, and then he just quit growing. He was barely taller than his sister now. "My old heart can rest easy knowing that this inn will pass into such capable hands."

 

"Ma, don't say things like that. I need you to keep making that delicious katsudon. You know I can't make it right, so you have to stay around for at least a few more years. Maybe decades!" His voice squeaked on the last word, but his mom only chuckled at him with a fond nod of the head.

 

"Alright, alright. I guess I have to stick around, at least until Mari retires and can help out." Her hand darted out to squeeze Yuri's shoulder, concern fogging her dark eyes. "Are you sure this is alright? We didn't really ask you if you wanted to take over the inn. We didn't have to. You just kind of started helping out on your own. But Yuuri--"

 

"You know I'm happy to help. You love this place, and I do too. I don't want to see it shut down." And he didn't, even if sometimes he wished it could be different.

 

"Such a good son." From outside the room a clock chimed. His mother jerked her hand away and spun back toward to the stove top. "Oh goodness, is it that time already? That handsome foreigner asked me so politely if he could have a katsudon when they came back from practice. Should be anytime now."

 

"His name his Viktor, Ma. You can't just keep calling him the 'handsome foreigner' forever! It's been weeks." She turned her head to study him, grin on her lips.

 

"Of course you would know how long he’s been here, Yuuri. You have all those posters of him hidden away in your room." He didn't need a mirror to know that his face was bright red, and hot.

 

"Mother! I just... admire his skating is all!"

 

"Mhm." She hummed out. "Well, we should just feel lucky that the handsome foreigner, I mean, Vicc-chan, happened to see that video thing of our Mari and took an interest in skating with her. It was exactly what our inn needed!"

 

Yuuri bit the inside of his mouth. Blood drained from the tips of his fingers leaving them cold, like they did anytime someone mentioned the video. The video quality had been poor, a dark and grainy shadow of a person skating almost perfectly to Viktor Nikiforov's _Stay by Me,_ but it still went viral within a day, boasting millions of views. The only clues to the dancer's identity were the letters on the wall in the background that spelled out “Hasetsu Ice Castle”. It was only a matter of putting two and two together to figure out what famous skater called Hasetsu their home rink. And why wouldn't people assume the skater was the up and coming Katsuki Mari? It only made sense.

 

Except that the skater had been him, not Mari.

 

It was him.

 

It was him who put months of practice into learning the routine, shaking off every fall and aching joint, bandaging bloody toes and scrapes from hitting the rink wall.

 

It was him who let people continue to think the skater was Mari instead of clearing it up.

 

After all, it would be better for everyone if people thought the skater was Mari. He was just so busy with the inn, and she was the skater in the family.

 

So why did it hurt so much?

 

A deep sigh escaped his lips. What was done was done, and it was too late to go back anyway.

 

“Oh, do you think you could take this food out too?” his mother asked with a gesture to her left at the bowls of appetizers, unaware of what mention of the video did to him.

 

 _Get yourself together, Yuuri_.

 

“Of course, mom.” His cheerful tone didn’t even sound forced after years of practice.

 

With a trained hand, he fit all the bowls on his platter and headed back to the dining room. The long corridor passed by several rooms where their patrons could relax. The dining room was just a little past the main entrance, and once this food was delivered, maybe he could take a break, just a short one, just long enough to make him feel like himself again.

 

Voices carried through the hallway, causing Yuuri to pause. They sounded… panicked?

 

Worry and fear traced Yuuri’s spine. That was Mari’s voice coming from the main entrance hall just ahead. He picked up the pace, careful not let the concern make his hand shake and spill the food.

 

He turned the corner. There was his sister. Viktor carried her in his arms, standing inside the doorway. Her eyes were lined red. Tears pooled in them. Yuuri dropped the tray.

 

“What did you do to her?” Yuuri didn’t mean for his voice to come out in a yell. The anger in it surprised him. His body moved without his permission, rushing to grab Viktor by the collar.

 

“Calm down Yuuri.” The coolness in Viktor’s voice made Yuuri even more angry.

 

“What did you do to my sister?” Yuuri threw an arm around Mari’s shoulders, tugging her closer to him despite Viktor’s grip on her. He glared up at Viktor, at those beautiful seafoam eyes that made his heart want to stop beating.

 

_Stop thinking these things and focus._

 

“If you keep acting like that I’m going to drop her.” Yuuri could sense the older man’s collected facade begin to slip in the way that Viktor’s tongue tripped on the Japanese words.

 

 _Perfect_. Some part of Yuuri delighted at the idea of Viktor losing his composition.

 

And why shouldn’t he? They were out practicing and now Mari was hurt and that was all Yuuri needed to know.

 

“Shut up and tell me--!”

 

“Yuuri stop!” The anger in his sister’s voice drew Yuuri out of his rage like a splash of water.

 

His stomach turned in cold waves as he looked at his sister, at her pinched eyebrows and sneer. Her anger was directed at him, not Viktor. “He didn’t hurt me!”

 

“But you’re crying,” his voice seemed to die in his throat, turning soft. And there it was again, the feeling of blood draining from his hands even as he still grasped onto Viktor’s collar. “You never cry.”

 

“I’m crying because I hurt myself while skating! I hurt _myself_. Viktor had nothing to do with it!” Yuuri dropped Viktor’s collar like it burned him and dropped his arm around Mari too. He took a step back. His hands curled and unfurled, daring him to do something about these feelings that felt like they might overtake his chest.

 

Mari frowned, lowering her voice. “I sprained my ankle, Yuuri. That’s it. I’m out for the season.”

 

Tears sprang back into her eyes, though she tried to hide them by looking away. The water in his own eyes tinted everything, made everything seem shaky and uncertain.

 

Despite everything, he knew he couldn’t let her keep feeling this way. Yuuri reached out for her again to pet her hair like he use to when they were kids.

 

“Mari, it’s okay. There’s always next season.” Mari slapped his hand away.

 

“No there’s not! You know that, Yuuri! I’m 23 years old, I can’t take that much time off!” She stopped to take two long breaths. “Not when I’m already pretending to be something I’m not. Not when I’ve already stabbed you in the back.”

 

The unsaid meaning hung in the air between them. They had never mentioned about the video before, not in words. The echoing silence suffocated Yuuri.

 

“What are you talking about?” Viktor’s question cut through the tension, making both of them jump.

 

“Nothing Viktor, she wasn’t--”

 

“I’ve been lying to you Viktor,” Her voiced steadied, full of determination. The tears cleared from her eyes, like the sky after a storm. “I’ve been lying to everyone.”

 

“Mari, stop--”

 

“No Yuuri! I won’t stop. Viktor deserves to know, and you deserve it too. Viktor, that wasn’t me on that video, skating to your routine.” She bit her lower lip before continuing. “That was. It was Yuuri.”

 

Her shoulders slumped, like a great weight had been released. “I might be the professional skater, but I don’t have half the talent and dedication that Yuuri does.”

 

The tears came in earnest this time, and Yuuri didn’t bother to wipe them away, choosing instead to stare at the floor. He didn’t think he would ever hear those words, not from his sister or anyone else.

 

“And I didn’t tell anyone the truth. What kind of selfish sister am I? It should be Yuuri competing out there. Not me.”

 

Viktor didn’t react right away, as though he needed to take a couple of extra seconds to really understand how deceived he had been.

 

“Mari. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” She winced at Viktor’s words. “I thought that this, that us, that it would help me, inspire me.” Viktor’s hair fell forward into his face as he looked down at the floor, covering his right eye with star light.

 

“If I would have known, I might have. I don’t know. Maybe I would have come to Japan to coach Yuuri, not become your skating partner. Maybe… but now? I don’t…”

 

Viktor Nikiforov never faltered. He was always confident, on the ice and in his life. Yuuri knew that, from his years of following Viktor and from the two weeks the skater spent in Yuuri’s life.

 

And now? To see him so unsure? To see doubt cloud those always clear eyes?

 

It made something in Yuuri want to break. Viktor didn’t deserve this.

 

“I’ll do it.” The words came from somewhere deep within Yuuri, warming his chest. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to Viktor. He would protect him, and he would protect his dreams.

 

“What?” Viktor and Mari asked in unison with matching blank expressions.

 

“I’ll take her place. I’ll pretend to be Mari, and we’ll win gold. Together.”

  
“WHAT?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri starts to realize what it really means to pretend to be his sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me a while to update! I had a birthday and a college graduation! But here we are, with a finished Chapter 2 that starts to look a bit more comical.

Yuuri often found himself full of regrets. That time he didn't check the expiration date and accidentally drank spoiled milk? Regret. That time he wasn't paying attention and walked into the girl's bathroom on the first day of high school? Regret. That time he fell on the ice because he was too distracted by being on a date (and took the poor guy down with him)? SUPER regret.

 

None of those could compare to the regret he felt now, standing in his sister's room, trying on dress after skin tight dress the day after his idol found out the depth of Yuuri’s obsession. Yuuri stared at himself in the mirror.

 

The one he had on now was a sporty little number in aqua, covered is so many rhinestones that people would be able to see him for miles if he stepped out into direct sunlight. It was so gaudy, not at all what he would pick out for himself. He remembered the event Mari wore this too. It was recent, and she had won. Standing in front of the mirror, he could see it, see what people meant when they said he and Mari looked like mirror images of each other. Sure, he had a slightly more pronounced jaw line, eyes that were a touch darker, stood a couple of inches taller, but damn did the genetics in their family run strong. With some makeup, he imagined he would look almost exactly like Mari, though he would like to think that his arms looked quite a bit more muscular than hers (they didn't).

 

Mari shook her head at him.

 

"This one does nothing for your hips, dear brother." She crouched down next to him, examining the length of the skirt. "And, uh, you're kind of sticking out in the butt area."

 

Yuuri dragged a hand along his face, fighting off the heat that threatened to overtake his face. This was not happening.

 

"Please find something else," he murmured through his hands, "Now."

 

"Ok ok, sheesh." But instead of getting up, she stuck a finger right in the middle of his stomach. He froze. "Gee Yuuri, what is this? You gotta take care of yourself, eat right! I don't want people to think I'm getting tubby."

 

"Wow, way to gently let me know that you think I should lose some weight," he panned. Yuuri knew he could stand to lose a couple of extra pounds, but it wasn't like he had all that much time to diet and exercise. If he could, all he would do was skate, but that wasn't exactly in the cards.

 

"All I'm saying is lay off the katsudon for a while." Mari stood. Yuuri sagged with relief, ready to get out of this dress. "And this hair! Get a haircut once in awhile!"

 

Her hand shot out to touch the locks that admittedly had gotten a little wild and constantly tickled his jawline. He batted her hand away.

 

"Hey, I'm suppose to be you now. Do you want me to go chop off all of my hair?"

 

"I suppose not." Mari's mouth twitched. "Maybe you can wear some hair extensions!"

 

"What?"

 

"I mean, it's not like you can wear a wig on the ice." She puffed her cheeks out in a pout. "And besides, I want people to think I have pretty hair.” She poked his chest. “And uh, bro? Seriously, wear a bra. I’m not that flat!”

 

“Mari!” He rolled his eyes at her, sighing, but at the same time pulling her in for a hug, careful of her sprained leg.

 

Mari could be pain sometimes-- most of the time-- but she was his pain of a sister.

 

"Seriously, Yuuri. Thank you. You know, you," she inhaled, "you don't have to do this. I've already asked so much of you."

 

"You didn't have to ask Mari. I offered. I want you to succeed." Her arms reached around to hug him back. Her tight grip made his back pop.

 

"And, I bet it's a perk that you get to skate with Viktor." Oh, there was that tone again, the one that said 'you can't keep a secret to save your life which is why I know you have a crush and I'm not going to let you live it down'. He knew that tone of voice well.

 

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied, as was his standard response to such teasing.

 

"Sure you don't. It's okay, I won't tell. But, I will root for you, if that's okay."

 

"It's always okay, you silly. I want to root for you too. You're a talented skater, Mari."

 

"You are too. I'm sorry I didn't help more at home. I just let you take care of things around here," She buried her head in his shoulder, hiding her face from his view. "I didn't even think about your feelings."

 

Something wet trickled down his arm.

 

 _Oh._ She was crying again. He was suppose to be the one that cried too much.

 

"Mari, it's okay, please don't--" Her head snapped up, colliding with his chin and making his teeth rattle together.

 

"I got it! I know what you should wear! And," a coy smile danced on her lips, "it should match Viktor's outfit perfectly."

  
  


Viktor awaited him downstairs in the dining room, dressed in the dark green robes that the inn provided their patrons. He looked... well he looked not ready to coach Yuuri on the routine, which was suppose to be what they were doing today. A smile touched his lips when his eyes landed on Yuuri.

 

"Ah Yuuri! I thought I'd get to see your performance outfit!" Oh God, Viktor was going to see him in a dress. With hair extensions. Pretending to be his sister. Yuuri took in a breath, cool air settling in his lungs. He was the one who suggested it. It was dumb to get all embarrassed now. “But I do like the makeup. The natural color palette looks good with your eyes!”

 

"Uh, Mari has to alter it a little bit before I wear it, and," Yuuri glanced around, making sure the room was empty, pushing down the blush that threatened to creep up past his throat, "no one here at the inn can know it's me, so I gotta try to look like Mari at all times. Mari's gonna hole up, helping with the behind the scenes stuff here, and pretend to be me."

 

Not that it would be hard for her to pretend to be him. Just slap on some sweats and glasses, and bingo! Katsuki Yuuri, at your service. It would be better for their story if everyone thought Yuuri was the one with the hurt ankle, though it wasn’t like they could fool their parents. He was gonna leave telling them to Mari. Yuuri had enough on his plate. Not only would he have to learn their routine in half the time Mari had, he would also have to figure out how to pull off a convincing girl. Mari promised to help him, and he was probably going to ask Minako to help him with his transformation too, but still it didn’t inspire much confidence.

 

Viktor hummed in understanding. "Well, this should be fun at the very least! And as for you."

 

A warm hand pressed against Yuuri's jawline, firm grip titling his head to bring his face inches away from Viktor's. The air was gone from the room, so far, so thin, so impossible to choke down. Small choking noises escaped his lips. The room felt cold, much too big, and yet Yuuri was unable to see anything past hair the color of spun silver, the sweep of heavy eyelashes, eyes that pulled him under like a wave claiming its next victim, lips that glistened as they moved.

 

"Tell me, Yuri. Do you have a girlfriend?" A flash of pink tongue flicked over those lips. "Or maybe a boyfriend?"

 

Viktor's other hand fell at Yuuri's waist, pressing him even closer to Viktor. His breath warmed the tip of Yuuri's nose.

 

"I want to know everything about you."

 

His idol, the living legend Viktor Nikiforov, wanted to know everything about him.

 

He was dreaming. He had to be.

 

And yet, even in his wildest dreams, he never dared to imagine, never dared to hope that he could ever sit so close to the man whose posters still lined his bedroom.

 

"Th-there isn't much to say, I mean, I work here and I'm always busy, and I'm not really dating anyone right now, though I mean I have, but I mean--" The words bubbled from his throat, and only a nervous laugh could quiet them down. God, he was going to make himself look like a babbling idiot at this rate, but he couldn't help it. A deep chuckle spilled from the older man's lips, as though Yuuri were merely charming, instead of a socially awkward mess.

 

The hand at Yuuri's waist moved, running up his bicep with a caress. Viktor sighed, eyelashes heavy as he looked down.

 

"Such delicate limbs." The warmth from Viktor's palm pooled through Yuuri's shirt, settling on his shoulder. Yuuri leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed so that nothing could distract him from the delicious blossoming heat that had settled had spread down from his torso. "And such a petite body. You really aren't much larger than your sister at all."

 

The dream was ripped out from under him.

 

Yuuri's mind snapped to attention, at last awake.

 

Right. This wasn't about him. It was about his sister.

 

The lights in the room burned at his retinas, as though someone had just turned them on and Yuuri wasn't ready yet. He shrank away from Viktor's touch until he was just out of his reach.

 

Something, some emotion, flashed across Viktor's face, but disappeared before Yuuri could decipher it. Not that it mattered. Viktor was here for Mari, and for his own career.

 

Not him.

 

"Anyway, I can start teaching you the choreography," Viktor's voice stayed steady, devoid of any emotions, "but if I'm going to be able to lift you, I need you to be at the same weight as Mari."

 

Yuuri flushed, looking down at the bits of fat that clung to his stomach and hips. It's not like he was a pro skater. He shouldn't feel embarrassed about having a bit of extra weight when half the time he was so busy at the inn that he couldn't eat healthily. But still, knowing that everyone else noticed made him want to curl into a ball in his closet and not come out.

 

"I know you'll be able to do it. If anyone could skate _Stay Close to Me_ as well as," Viktor swallowed between his words, " _you_ did, I know you can also pick this routine up pretty quickly. You have what it takes, Yuuri."

 

And despite everything, despite his protests, some heavy and warm and adoring pressure settled in his chest at those words. Even if the dream wasn’t real, he could still pretend in this moment, couldn’t he?

 

“Viktor, I--”

 

“VIKTOR!!!!” Yuuri jumped at the screech that bounced off the walls of the empty dining hall. It was angry and unfamiliar and tinged with an accent. Shaking, he turned at the commotion of feet pounding against the floor. A small blonde barreled toward them in a frenzy of sour looks and tiger print.

 

Who was this-- and then it clicked.

 

Yuuri had seen this person somewhere before.

 

The teen stomped right up to Viktor and grabbed him by the collar to hoist him up.

 

“You promised, Nikiforov!” The words were spit right into Viktor’s face. “You promised to be _my_ skating partner when I won the Junior Grand Prix Final!”

 

“I did?” Viktor cocked his head to the side with a smile. The blonde growled before pivoting to face Yuuri.

 

“And you!!” The teenager dropped Viktor to the ground, glare focused on Yuuri while casting an accusing finger straight at Yuuri’s nose. “You can’t just keep him for yourself, Katsuki Mari! I challenge you to a skate off!”

 

“What?” The blonde blinked at him, eyes wide with confusion. The voice had come out of Yuuri much too deep in his surprise.

 

He cleared his throat with a misplaced giggle. “Sorry, it’s a cold. What?” The fake falsetto made Yuuri cringe, but no one else seemed to notice.

 

“A skate off! Winner take all! And by all, of course I mean, Viktor Nikiforov!”

 

And that was how Katsuki Yuuri found himself face to face in his own home with none other than the jewel of the skating world, the skater to keep an eye on, the adored and beautiful (and terrifying ) Russia starlet, Yuria Plisetskaya.

  
Oh and she happened to think Yuuri was a girl (his sister, to be exact).

**Author's Note:**

> I promised this would get lighter going into the next chapters, and so far, so good. I'm almost done with chapter 2!  
> So many romcom antics. So many. And a certain angry kitten is going to be showing up soon!
> 
> I don't know anything about skating, so if something seems wrong, I'm sorry.


End file.
